A Contemporary Group North Activity
Members’
Showcase provides a platform for contributors to our monthly meetings to display the work they have shared.
Contributors have curated their own images and provided the accompanying text making this a collaborative group venture.
Designed and compiled by Lyn Newton
Cover image by David Couldwell
18th January 2025—Meeting in person at Clements Hall, York
Chaired by Patricia Ruddle
Contributors:
Morris Gregory
Andrew Hersom
Martyn Pearson
Ian Sayce
John Elvin
Barbara Pollard
Robert Harris
David Couldwell
Rachel Ann Perry
Images and content of this publication are the copyright of the photographer unless stated otherwise
Morris Gregory ….. Rock Gig
A chance to see four local rock bands for free and take some photos at the same time was an opportunity I wasn’t going to miss. The Joseph Rowntree Theatre was hosting an event to showcase new talent from around York and wanted photos of the bands in action for publicity purposes. In my twenties I had spent many happy hours crushed at the front of the stage trying to get decent photos of bands including U2, Selecter and Echo and the Bunnymen so I had some idea of what to expect, or so I thought. I was pleasantly surprised to find the audience would be seated and we photographers, from York Photographic Society, would have free rein to position ourselves wherever we wished providing we didn’t spoil anybody’s view.
It was a very entertaining evening with each of the bands (Rejected Reality, Souvenir, Kiss Kiss Kill and Poison Dart) providing some great tunes and plenty of photographic opportunities. I sent the bands a selection of my photos and they seemed to appreciate them as much as I enjoyed listening to their music.
The theatre has asked us back to take photos at further concerts ranging from Broadway musicals to a George Harrison tribute act. I can’t wait.
Andrew Hersom
This is a project of photographs taken of mannequins in shop windows, often including street passers-by. Some mannequins look almost human, others lack proper faces and even heads!
These images can be more interesting if they include reflections from the street, which can be quite complex.
I usually re-size images in 16:9 format (for projection) but for this series I have used 5:4 which worked better.
Martyn Pearson
In the early 2000s I was generously given free access to photograph the Blackpool Pleasure Beach grounds in and out of season. Wearing my security pass I wandered anywhere I wished for a full year. The 'backstage' environments and engineering fascinated me. Apart from a few prints this large archive of negatives have never been shown beyond my social media accounts, which is a pity.
For context, Blackpool is a coastal town and resort in the North West of the UK. It has a reputation for kitsch bawdiness. It is loud, it smells of fried food and its noise is of the penny-arcade. It has swagger, it is unapologetically fun and I love it. The Pleasure Beach, opened in 1896, covers over 40 acres and contains roller coasters, dodgems, train rides etc, etc.
Ian Sayce LRPS
My images were taken in 2023 at Zimanga, a private game reserve in South Africa.
I had time to obverse three female cheetahs at different times which enabled me to get images you don't normally see. The tour was led by Ann and Steve Toon.
John Elvin
I grew up in the 1950s and 60s. In those days, the only tattoos we saw belonged to ex servicemen and merchant seamen who wore them partially as an aid to identification in case they were killed or missing in action. Anyone else sporting such decoration was regarded with deep suspicion.
Today, more than a quarter of British citizens admit to having tattoos.
The York International Tattoo Festival is held annually in June at the New Earswick Club in York. Almost by accident, I visited it and was amazed and delighted by the friendliness of all the participants (artists and customers) and their willingness to be photographed. Here are my efforts.
Barbara Pollard
….. Larkin About
Barbara shares her book Larkin About, linking quotations from Larkin’s work with her own ICM images, taken on a visit to Hull.
Robert Harris
Over the last three months I have been working on a series of images for an exhibition later in the year which I presented to the group. The images are a representation of the complexity of all levels of life within the rain forest. By working in black and white I simplified the forest into texture, shade and structure.
Rain forests have been represented over many years as green and luscious. I would like to present some images that say something about the rainforest and me as a photographer. The abundance of life, whether microscopic or towering above us, provides an ideal place to wander. The Japanese have a practice called “Shinrin-Yoku” or forest bathing - a process of therapeutic relaxation where one spends time in a forest or natural atmosphere focusing on sensory engagement to connect with nature.
In our busy lives we are trying constantly to meet targets as we move from one event to another without taking time out. Compare this with strolling through the forest, embracing the surrounding abundance of life, listening to sounds of wildlife, watching the water droplets as they cascade through the canopy to the floor- a place where time becomes unimportant. My work is looking to provide this connection with the rainforest and forest bathing and by presenting it to the group I had the opportunity to capture what others felt about my images. The group provide a very good platform where members give their views freely, in an honest manner and also provide me with a rich source of future ideas. The diversity also provided many avenues to explore with the completion of this project.
I also presented an ode “Whispers of the Rain Forest” that supported the link between my thoughts and my journey. Extract:
So linger here where shadows blend, In whispers soft that never end, For in this forest rich and wide, The lace of life will be our guide.
A thought provoking meeting that provided an insight to how others looked at my work.
David Couldwell ….. Sharing mono prints
Midland railway centre. Old guy reading.
Blacksmith, chatting in his workshop, Owston Ferry
Blacksmith’s mixed tools on his bench, Owston Ferry.
Rachel Ann Perry
I collect coloured glass vessels donated to local charity shops. This began at college, and the aim was to experiment with found objects, following a lecture on Duchamp. Often, there is a pattern to what is donated, and you can observe fashion trends passing through the shops. When I started the collection, the price tags were small; the vessels were clutter being cleared out. However, these items have become more collectable over time.
These mundane objects become beautiful when sunlit, reminiscent of stained-glass windows.
